After almost 40 years, Richard Mascolo, Chief of the Regulations Division is set to retire on April 3, 2001. Shortly after graduating from Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Rich started in July 1961, as an Inspector in the Philadelphia Field Office of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division of the Internal Revenue Service. After spending seven years doing inspections in Central and Eastern Pennsylvania, Central and Southern New Jersey, and the state of Delaware, he became an analyst in the Philadelphia Regional Office. His first supervisory job was Chief, Technical Services in the Philadelphia Regional Office and after seven years was transferred to headquarters as Chief, Research and Regulations Branch. After holding several similar related branch and divisional positions, he became Chief, Regulations Division. During his years in headquarters, he was responsible for numerous rulemaking documents, regulatory variances and interpretive rulings relating to ATF regulations, and has been involved in the establishment of all American viticultural areas to date. Rich has also served as ATF's only Regulatory Policy Officer, a position created by Executive Order 12886 in October of 1993. Rich's future plans are centered around spending quality time with his family and plans to stay in the Washington, DC area.

Offer-in- Compromise
By Jeannette Compton (202) 927-8130

On February 23, 2001, the Division Director, New York Field Division, announced the completed 45-day suspension of operations of Vinifera Imports, Ltd. (Vinifera), Ronkonkoma, New York, and an Offer-in-Compromise in which Vinifera will pay the U.S. Government $225,000 for violations of the Federal Alcohol Administration Act. Vinifera entered into the agreement with ATF after an investigation disclosed numerous labeling violations and hidden ownership in Vinifera related operations.

New Wine Technical Specialist Reports
By Arthur Herbert (202) 927-8100

Mari Kirrane, a new Wine Technical Specialist reports to the Alcohol and Tobacco Programs Division. Mari joins Richard Gahagan, ATF Wine Technical Advisor as another ATF resource on winemaking and grapegrowing issues.
Mari was born and raised in northern California. She graduated from Saint Mary's College in California earning a degree in Chemistry. Mari joined ATF in 1992 working as an alcohol chemist in our San Francisco Laboratory Center. She began her professional career in the wine industry in 1982 working as a chemist at Concannon Vineyard, Livermore, California. She served the winery in several capacities throughout her ten year career, including winemaker. Mari experienced the winemaking practices of France, Germany, Portugal, and Spain as she toured these countries during her professional capacity with the winery. In 1996, Mari utilized her knowledge and experiences as a member of the development and presentation teams for a series of west coast seminars dubbed ATF's "Required Analytical Tests for Wineries". Mari will apply her knowledge and experiences gained as chemist and winemaker to advise ATF managers and field officers about enological practices, deliver presentations on matters affecting wine trade, and make recommendations that result from her research of wine-related issues. She is a member of the Society of Wine Educators, California Enological Research Association and a professional member of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture. You can contact Mari at BATF, Mari Kirrane,

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